RACE STANDARDS RACE (Registry of Approved Continuing Education) Standards for Approved Providers of Continuing Veterinary Medical Education - AAVSB
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RACE STANDARDS
RACE (Registry of Approved Continuing Education) Standards for
Approved Providers of Continuing Veterinary Medical Education
As approved by the AAVSB Board of Directors on July 18, 2018,
and effective on January 1, 2021General Information .....................................................................................................................................2
Section 1.01 Purpose ..................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Section 1.02 Objective .................................................................................................................................................................. 2
Section 1.03 Committee Review Process ............................................................................................................................. 2
Section 1.04 RACE Confidentiality Policy............................................................................................................................. 3
RACE Providers ..............................................................................................................................................3
Section 2.01 Provider Responsibilities ................................................................................................................................. 3
Section 2.02 Provider Requirements ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Section 2.03 Established Large Programs ........................................................................................................................... 4
Program Categories ......................................................................................................................................5
Section 3.01 Medical Programs ................................................................................................................................................ 6
Section 3.02 Non-Medical Programs (Practice Management/Professional Development/ Professional
Wellness) ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
CE Credit Calculations ..................................................................................................................................6
Method of Delivery of the Program .........................................................................................................7
Section 5.01 Live ............................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Section 5.02 Anytime .................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Programs RACE will not accept .................................................................................................................8
Section 6.01 Programs educating about a product, service ......................................................................................... 8
Section 6.02 Disclosure/Conflicts of Interest..................................................................................................................... 9
Program Application ....................................................................................................................................9
Section 7.01 RACE Programs ..................................................................................................................................................... 9
Section 7.02 Repeat Programs .................................................................................................................................................. 9
Section 7.03 Program Description .......................................................................................................................................... 9
Section 7.04 Presenter/Author Information ...................................................................................................................... 9
1. Presenters/Authors of Medical Programs .......................................................................................................................10
2. Presenters/Authors of Non-Medical Programs .............................................................................................................10
Section 7.05 Program Advertising ........................................................................................................................................11
Section 7.06 Policy and Procedure for Appeals...............................................................................................................11
Attendee List Upload ................................................................................................................................. 11
RACE Certificate of Attendance .............................................................................................................. 12
RACE Standards 1 | PageGeneral Information
Section 1.01 Purpose
RACE (Registry of Approved Continuing Education) is a program of the American Association of
Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB), established as a resource for review of continuing education
Providers and their programs.
The RACE program is used by:
a. Veterinary Licensing/Registering Bodies to support their
Providers submitting Programs to RACE
requirements for veterinary professionals to obtain
do so voluntarily. By submitting a
continuing education (CE) before re-licensure/re-
registration. program application for review by the
b. Veterinary Medical Professionals (veterinarians, veterinary RACE Committee, the Provider has
technicians/technologists) to obtain continuing education elected to abide by the RACE Standards
that can enhance their competency and ability. in this document.
c. Providers of veterinary continuing education to
demonstrate their ability to meet the requirements established by the AAVSB’s member
boards
Section 1.02 Objective
The objective of RACE is to review continuing education (CE) programs that maintain, develop, or
increase the knowledge, skills, professional performance and relationships veterinarians and
veterinary technicians/technologists use to provide services for patients, the public, or the profession.
Section 1.03 Committee Review Process
1. The RACE committee reviews programs based on RACE approval is not to be used as an
meeting the requirements of the RACE Standards.
endorsement of certification.
RACE does not accredit, endorse or certify any
program or person, nor does RACE approval or
validate the content of the program. Should a RACE Provider embellish or misrepresent a
program’s status by stating the program or program content is verified or certified by the RACE
program, RACE approval may be removed.
2. The RACE Committee is comprised of volunteer veterinarians and veterinary technicians, typically
current or past state board members. The Committee’s members are appointed by the AAVSB
Board of Directors to review program applications for RACE approval.
3. The RACE Committee considers the intent of the Provider’s stated objective, the quality and
quantity of the CE:
a. The quality of CE is an assessment that includes the appropriateness of the subject matter in
achieving the RACE objectives as well as the qualification of the presenter as a subject matter
expert on the topic considered.
b. The quantity of CE is a determination of the number of CE credits available for the program
calculated using specific formulas unique to each delivery method (see Article IV).
RACE Standards 2 | Page4. The RACE Committee reserves the right to evaluate the educational merit of any program
submitted and to seek expert advice from external sources as deemed necessary by the
committee.
The RACE program is a service to the veterinary regulatory boards who are members of the AAVSB.
Regulatory boards retain the right to refuse to provide CE credit, partially or in full, for any RACE
Provider or program RACE approves based on their board's regulations. Veterinary CE requirements
are not standardized among veterinary regulatory boards.
AAVSB reserves the right to remove RACE approval from a Provider or a Program that has been found
to violate any RACE Standard. The AAVSB may remove a Provider’s approval for the following
situations:
a. False RACE certificates are being issued to program participants/attendees (This includes
certificates with a previously approved number listed and a current date implying the expired
program is still RACE approved)
b. The program conducted is not the program approved by RACE
c. Evidence of misusing RACE approval as stated in Article VI.
d. False statements are made on the application
The RACE Provider will be notified via email and will have 20 business days to respond to correct the
issue.
Reinstatement of RACE Provider status shall be contingent upon the submission of a new RACE
Provider application, a new RACE Program application and payment of all applicable fees and
potential penalties. Based upon these actions, the AAVSB reserves the right to notify all relevant
parties.
Section 1.04 RACE Confidentiality Policy
Application materials submitted by applicants for AAVSB RACE recognition are confidential, subject to
disclosure within the association necessary to comply with the assessment criteria and to AAVSB
member boards, upon request. When reviewing an application, AAVSB reserves the right to seek
expert advice and relevant information from external sources, provided such information is
maintained in confidence by the committee and the advisor.
RACE Providers
The RACE Provider is responsible for delivering the approved program and the party responsible for
adherence to the RACE Standards.
Section 2.01 Provider Responsibilities
RACE Providers shall:
a. Ensure all RACE approved Programs conducted by the Provider meet the requirements in
these RACE Standards.
b. Assure compliance with the RACE Standards in the category for the approved program.
c. Submit all Programs for any branch or subsidiary of the Provider through the identified
Program Administrator (see Section 2.02). If the branch or subsidiary desire separate
RACE Standards 3 | Pageauthority, a separate application must be submitted for the entity to become an approved
Provider.
d. Maintain a list of attendees for upload into the RACEtrack system (document specifics below)
If attendee lists are accurately uploaded into the RACE/CE Broker system, certificates can be
by request. If your organization cannot use the RACEtrack CE Broker system, continue
awarding CE certificates
e. Monitor attendance at Programs in a manner that ensures participants awarded CE credit did
participate.
f. Maintain records of individual offerings for inspection by AAVSB and its Member Boards for a
minimum of four (4) years. The records maintained shall be adequate to serve the needs of
participants and to permit AAVSB and Member Boards to monitor adherence to the RACE
Standards, including:
i. Any documentation submitted to the AAVSB
ii. Time(s) and location(s) of all offerings of RACE approved Programs
iii. Registration rosters containing names and addresses of attendees.
iv. Email or Mail Documents
g. Allow AAVSB or Member Board(s) access to review the CE records within ten (10) business days
of a request to review these documents.
h. Issue documents with required RACE approval language only for Programs for which
approvals have been granted.
i. Should an attendee require a CE certificate, the Provider should award an individual
Certificate of Attendance, at no charge, identifying the participant.
j. If final approval has not been received when a program takes place, the Provider must not
distribute RACE approved attendance certificates until after the approval is granted.
Section 2.02 Provider Requirements
When completing the RACE Provider application, one person must be identified as the RACE Program
Administrator. The Program Administrator is responsible for:
i) Communication with the AAVSB staff regarding program application submissions
ii) Ensuring each program submitted meets the RACE requirements and Standards
iii) Ensuring compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local law, including but not
limited to the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, and any other relevant
disabilities laws.
iv) Prompt notification to AAVSB RACE of a contact change via email
Section 2.03 Established Large Programs
This status may be awarded to conferences or large Programs which consist of several individual
sessions that cumulatively provide at least 50 continuing education credits. To qualify for established
conference Provider status, the following criteria must be met:
RACE Standards 4 | Pagea. The RACE Established Large Program Provider’s
conference program has been granted RACE Any segment extracted from an
approval for the two (2) Programs immediately Established Large Program for a
preceding the Provider request to be granted standalone presentation must be exactly
Established Large Program status. what was presented at the large
b. The conference program should occur annually. conference. Changes to any aspect of this
If the Provider conducts two different segment (i.e. content or Presenter) are
conferences, this will not meet the criteria. considered a different program and must
c. The RACE Provider agrees to read, understand, be submitted as a new program.
and follow the program requirements as
established in the current RACE Standards.
d. The RACE Provider agrees to submit the RACE large program fee applicable at the time of
submission annually
e. The RACE Provider verifies as RACE approved meet the RACE Standards in effect at the time of
program submission and are so indicated in the program materials sent to attendees
f. Established Large Program Providers may use sessions from the conference as standalone CE
sessions. The standalone CE session must be conducted by the original RACE Provider
submitting the application. These sessions cannot deviate from the original content
presented.
g. All sessions of the program that do not meet the RACE Standards must be clearly identified.
These Programs, as they are not RACE approved, will not be eligible for extraction from the
large conference for standalone sessions
h. The RACE Provider agrees to upload a list of attendees in the RACE system
i. The Provider must also send an example of the conference’s certificate should a licensee
require this.
j. The RACE Provider agrees RACE may audit the program randomly and require the Provider to
submit parts or their entire program for RACE to determine compliance with these
requirements
k. The RACE Provider agrees RACE has sole authority to grant, deny, or withdraw the Provider’s
use of this provision of the RACE Standards
Program Categories
RACE Programs are differentiated into the following two categories: Medical Programs and Non-
Medical Programs. Each category has a definition of appropriate subject matter and a set of criteria
which might qualify a presenter as a subject matter expert for the category.
Program content must be directed toward veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Programs
designed for an audience with significantly different or lower baseline knowledge than what has
already been achieved by a graduate veterinary medical professional (veterinarian or veterinary
technician) would fall short of providing beneficial CE and cannot be accepted by the RACE
Committee.
RACE Standards 5 | PageSection 3.01 Medical Programs
Medical Programs include all conventional medical and surgical topics that are evidence-based,
including the science of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease as it relates directly to
patients. It also includes topics in veterinary science that are not specifically clinical in nature but
consider the comprehensive range of the practice of veterinary medicine and veterinary technology.
This includes, but is not limited to, topics related to One Health and public veterinary practice,
epidemiology, food safety, public health, animal welfare, antimicrobial stewardship, and in-service
training for publicly employed veterinary medical professionals.
This category also includes medical and surgical subject matter that is case-based, anecdotal and/or
undergoing scientific investigation. This includes some topics considered alternative and/or
complementary veterinary medicine. Programs discussing topics considered alternative and/or
complementary are acceptable if designed for an audience of veterinary professionals.
Section 3.02 Non-Medical Programs (Practice Management/Professional Development/
Professional Wellness)
Non-Medical programs include those that serve the public interest by helping make veterinary
medical professionals more competent and capable in the delivery of veterinary services, but that are
not necessarily scientific or clinical in nature. This includes, but is not limited to, practice
management, business management, regulatory compliance, jurisprudence, medical records,
software management, and the art of veterinary practice, communication, and veterinary ethics.
Programs in professional wellness may include, but are not limited to, mental health, depression,
compassion fatigue, burnout, and suicide ideation.
CE Credit Calculations
CE credits must be calculated for each program. This may be a single lecture, or an entire program
with a single track. A program session may have multiple speakers and various topics (including
abstracts and short presentations). Though the course may be RACE approved, please note each
jurisdiction’s restrictions/requirements for calculating continuing education credit.
a. One CE credit is awarded for 50- 60 minutes of actual
50 – 60 minutes = 1 CE credit
instruction for in-person presentations.
b. CE Credits can be awarded at a minimum of .25 (15 min) 25 – 49 minutes = .50 CE credit
CE Credits. 15 – 24 minutes = .25 CE credit
c. No Programs less than .25 CE Credits will be accepted for
RACE review.
d. One academic credit granted by a governmentally recognized educational institution is equal
to 15 CE Credits and assumes the equivalent of 15 hours of in person lecture time.
e. Review articles for journals designed for CE may be approved by RACE. Articles must contain a
minimum of 3,000 words, with five (5) post-test questions for each CE Credit.
f. Text Book and reading assignments that are part of an approved program qualify for one (1)
CE credit for every 10,000 words of print. The subject matter of the text must be consistent
with the subject matter category the program is considered in, and the author must meet the
qualifications for a presenter in that category.
RACE Standards 6 | PageMethod of Delivery of the Program
The method(s) of delivery, regardless of the RACE category, shall be appropriate to the educational
content, objective, and purpose of the program, and presented in an efficient manner that will best
benefit the audience. The method(s) of delivery should, where practical, encourage active
participation and involvement on the part of the participating attendee. CE credit calculations can be
found in the Article IV.
Section 5.01 Live
A live program is a lecture, broadcasted interactive event, seminar, class, lab/wet lab, conference, or
workshop. The event takes place in real time, i.e., the same timeframe for all participants.
Section 5.02 Anytime
Programs falling into this category include correspondence, computer-based training (i.e. online
courses), mailed material, home study, prerecorded broadcasts, and/or journal/newsletter. There
must be a mechanism to document a minimum level of participation, the ability to be flexible and
supplement the participant’s learning experience in response to the individual and collective
participants’ progress and feedback on a day-to-day basis during the course period. In addition,
electronic security measures and reliable technology must ensure appropriate privacy.
There is no scheduled date for participation; the attendee
determines when to participate. For evaluation of an
attendee’s participation in this course, the RACE Provider
must use a post-course test with a minimum of five (5)
questions. Credit can only be awarded to participants
receiving a 70% grade or higher on the post-course test.
Non-interactive-distance programs can achieve:
a. CE credits must be calculated for each program. This may be a single lecture, or an entire
program with a single track. A program session may have multiple speakers and various topics
(including abstracts and short presentations). Programs which participants can complete
individually and receive separate CE credit for must not be combined into a single program
application. Though the course may be RACE approved, please note each jurisdiction’s
restrictions/requirements for calculating continuing education credit.
b.CE Credit for each 50 minutes of measurable time spent viewing recorded lectures, videos,
audio supported PowerPoints, etc., provided the subject matter content, and presenter
qualifications meet the standard for the category under consideration
c. CE Credit for every five (5) hours of presenter mediated discussion, simulations, project
completion, case study preparation, etc., provided these activities are monitored by and
participated in by an approved program presenter. The time of participation may not
necessarily be measurable but must be that which is expected of all program participants.
RACE Standards 7 | PagePrograms RACE will not accept
The RACE program will not accept programs if the RACE Provider does not submit all the required
information. RACE will also not approve Programs that:
a. Do not ensure all animals used in the CE activity are cared for with respect and humanely in
ways which minimize fear, pain, stress, and suffering and are in accordance with local, state,
and federal guidelines for humane animal use
b. Are not truthful or may be detrimental to the integrity of the veterinary profession.
c. Are in the format of question and answer in their entirety
d. Consist solely of exhibit hall attendance
e. Are standalone discussion/message boards, or roundtable discussions
f. Are based solely on test completion
g. Do not meet the stated program objectives
h. Use the event solely to market or simply instruct in the use of a product or service
Section 6.01 Programs educating about a product, service
Notwithstanding Article VI (h), a program educating about a product, service, or company may be
considered for approval provided it demonstrates the following:
a. There is a clear delineation between marketing and education.
b. There is sufficient scientific or clinical content related to the product and it is presented in a
manner such that the program is useful to attendees who do not use the specific product or
service.
c. There is clear indication to participants at the beginning of the presentation of the
relationships among Provider, presenter, and content of the program.
d. If there are multiple presenters, all must meet RACE Standards for presenters, and appropriate
information on these presenters must be included with the application. The original author of
the presentation must be identified and must also meet RACE Standards as a subject matter
expert on the specific subject matter.
e. Providers giving the presentation on behalf of a
Providers must submit credentials for
commercial organization that also employs the
everyone presenting the submitted
presenter must agree to the conflict of interest
program. These credentials must
statement at the beginning of every program
meet the presenter requirements as
application. Disclosure must be made to the
listed in Section 7.04.
program attendees in the form of an introductory
slide, or verbal acknowledgement. If the Provider
decides to use verbal acknowledgment, it must be agreed to upon application submission.
f. RACE acknowledges the need for corporations to use veterinary medical professionals as
technical representatives to present Programs specifically developed around a product or
service. The presenter must be qualified in the subject matter, so they can answer questions
and direct the discussion in an appropriate fashion to achieve CE credit. This requires separate
submissions of credentials for each individual presenting, which must meet the presenter
requirements as listed above in Section 7.04.
RACE Standards 8 | PageNeither the AAVSB or RACE endorses any products or services that are displayed or referred to in
conjunction with RACE-approved programs and are not responsible for the actual presentation of
content during scientific sessions.
Section 6.02 Disclosure/Conflicts of Interest
While Programs may reference specific products or services and be promotional in nature, they must
not be or appear to be primarily for generating sales of a product or service
Program Application
The online program application, fees, and required documentation must be submitted for program
review. The documentation must be complete and in accordance with the current RACE Standards.
The RACE Standards should be reviewed in their entirety before applying.
Section 7.01 RACE Programs
A RACE program is an educational opportunity or activity that provides continuing education for
veterinary professionals (RACE 1.02).
Section 7.02 Repeat Programs
RACE-approved programs may be repeated within the two-year program approval period at different
locations and/or on different dates. Variations in the number of available hours, presentation
methods (i.e. interactive vs. non-interactive), agenda or program objective are not the same program
and must be submitted as a new program.
Section 7.03 Program Description
Each program application must include a summary statement of the learning objectives for the entire
program. The objectives of each program segment must specify the information, skills, and concepts
being presented, and what the attendee is expected to learn from program attendance. A short
agenda should be submitted as well.
Section 7.04 Presenter/Author Information
When the AAVSB reviews Programs, evaluation of the presenter and their qualifications are an
essential part of the process. An author or presenter of any RACE program must be knowledgeable in
the subject matter at a level higher than the intended audience. They must meet the requirements of
the specific category and have specific training, experience, and knowledge in the identified subject
matter.
RACE does not keep a registry of presenters for future use. For this reason, each time a program is
reviewed by RACE, the presenter/author information must attach to the application, even if a
presenter has been part of an approved program in the past.
When submitting a program application, a CV or resume must be submitted for the program
demonstrating a presenter’s qualifications to instruct on the specific subject matter to veterinarians
and veterinary technicians.
Evidence of this qualification must be provided with the application by way of:
RACE Standards 9 | Pagea. A CV, or resume with credential information (such as
The information provided in the
degrees, diplomas, board certification, advanced
presenter/author information must
degrees, current employment, affiliation, and any
experience related to the subject matter) demonstrate how the individual is a
b. Any other evidence of special knowledge or experience subject matter expert and why they
in the subject area being presented, which can be are qualified to speak on the topic.
demonstrated by a formal degree or significant time
engaged in the field,
c. Letters of reference (if the Presenter/Author does not meet the RACE Standards for the
category submitted) that attest to the suitability of the presenter as a subject matter expert.
They must be written within the past two years by two (2) individuals who are board certified
specialists or with advanced academic credentials related to the subject matter.
1. Presenters/Authors of Medical Programs
Presenters/Authors of any Medical Program must be qualified to engage in clinical veterinary practice
or be academically qualified in a field of science related to veterinary medicine. Additionally, they
must demonstrate they have special knowledge or expertise in the subject matter being presented.
Qualifications for this category can be demonstrated by any one of the following:
a. A veterinarian board certified in the subject matter and instructing within the scope of
practice and/or
b. Recognition as a Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in the subject matter and/or
c. An advanced academic degree in the subject matter and/or
d. Evidence of special knowledge in the subject area being presented, such as current (10 years)
publications in a peer-reviewed, scientific journal, extensive professional training in the
subject matter, and/or extensive experience in the field, etc. and/or
e. Being currently engaged in a recognized course of study accredited by the American
Veterinary Medical Association or Canadian Veterinary Medical Association that leads to an
advanced degree or specialty recognition related to the subject matter
Veterinary medical professionals who have not met the above, or human health care professionals,
may present in this category if two letters of recommendation are provided from veterinarians who
meet at least one of the requirements (a-e) listed above
2. Presenters/Authors of Non-Medical Programs
Presenters/Authors of any Non-Medical Program must be qualified to provide CE relevant to
veterinary medical professionals.
Qualifications for this category can be demonstrated by any one of the following:
a. Academic degrees or formal education in the subject matter being presented and/or
b. Extensive experience or training in the subject matter being presented, or other relevant
documentation that attests to the presenter/author’s higher knowledge in the subject matter
than expected of the veterinary professional audience
RACE Standards 10 | P a g eVeterinary medical professionals who have not met the above, or human health care professionals,
may present in this category if two letters of recommendation are provided from veterinarians who
meet at least one of the requirements (a-b) listed above
Section 7.05 Program Advertising
RACE Providers must not advertise Programs as RACE approved before official notification of approval
has been given. This is regardless of prior approval for a program. Should the Provider want to
advertise a program’s RACE application status, the RACE Provider must also send the attendees
notification of a program’s approved or denied status. The following language is suggested if the RACE
Provider chooses to advertise.
“This program has been submitted (but is not yet approved) for _____ hours of continuing education
credit in jurisdictions which recognize RACE approval. “
If the course is RACE approved, the following language is suggested.
“This program has been approved for _____ hours of continuing education credit in jurisdictions that
recognize RACE approval. “
For Large Conferences (segments that run concurrently):
“This program has been approved for _____ hours of continuing education credit in jurisdictions that
recognize RACE approval, with ______ hours available to an individual attendee “
Section 7.06 Policy and Procedure for Appeals
If the RACE committee denies an application for approval, the Program Administrator who filed the
application or chief executive officer of the Provider may appeal the decision to the AAVSB Board of
Directors. Appeals should specifically reference the reason given by the RACE committee as stated in
the Denial letter, and why the Provider feels a review of the decision is warranted. Notice of the appeal
shall be made in writing and delivered by certified mail, to the Executive Director of AAVSB at the
current address of the Association. Notice of appeals must be made within 30 days after the date of
the disapproval notice of the decision and must include the nonrefundable administrative appeal fee.
For the complete RACE Appeals Policy, please contact RACE staff.
Attendee List Upload
All RACE Providers are asked to upload their attendee list into the RACEtrack system, this can be done
via excel spreadsheet, text file upload, or system to system. Providing your attendee list accurately in
the RACE application distributes CE courses to the licensee’s RACEtrack account for CE tracking.
Information to be included when submitting an attendee upload list:
1. RACE Provider number (your new Provider number follows the 50-)
2. RACE Program number (your program number follows the 20- )
3. Licensee number(s) (should be obtained upon registration and checked for accuracy)
4. Course completion date
5. Jurisdiction (s) of licensee
RACE Standards 11 | P a g e6. Number of hours in medical
7. Number of hours in non-medical
RACE Certificate of Attendance (available upon licensee request)
RACE Providers shall, at the completion of a program, have a certificate available upon request for a
licensee at no charge. This certificate may be a physical document or emailed to the attendee. A
RACE Certificate of Attendance may only be presented if the program has been RACE approved. This
certificate can contain: RACE program number, participant name, RACE program category, hours in
specific category, date of attendance, and a space for license state and number, and the following,
“The statement: “This program has been approved for _____ hours of continuing education credit in
jurisdictions that recognize RACE approval. “
RACE Standards 12 | P a g eYou can also read
